The train tunnel.

Just a funny memory from my past...

Anyone who grew up around Moab knows what I am talking about, for the rest of you, there is a tunnel where the train goes through the mountain just outside of Moab.  I may be way off on my estimate, but I would guess it's about a mile long.  For some unknown reason, it is one of the "hip" spots for teenagers in Moab.  When there was nothing else to do, we would go walk through the train tunnel in the dark.

There is one night in particular that I will never forget..... the night I thought I was seconds away from dyeing.

It started out the same old way.  Trying to think of something fun to do.  When no one could think of anything exciting or different, it was agreed that we would walk through the train tunnel.... again.  This particular night we were able to gather a pretty large group together.

It was tradition to scare the newbies with stories of what to do if a train happens to come through, although I don't believe any of the horror stories that were passed on were actually true, it just added danger and thrill to the adventure.

We also made sure we had a flash light or two just in case, but lights weren't allowed.  After all, the fun comes from walking in pitch darkness, the kind where you can't even see the hand in front of your face.  We casually began our journey.  It was mostly a time for socializing, and you could expect that once in a while some silly boy would sneak ahead of the group and jump out to scare you, but little did I know that this night the boys had something else up their sleeves.

One of the boys, if I knew who they wouldn't be alive anymore, strung together black cat firework and brought them with us, unbeknown to most of us girls.  The boys trailed behind and passed the secret to one another as the girls carried on joking and talking about whatever teenage girls talk about.

The train tunnel is just large enough that only two or three people can walk together.  The boys strategically scattered themselves in between as many girls as the could to get the full effect of our reaction.  Becca and I (I think it was you, Becca)  hardly suspected a thing when one of the guys came between us and joined our conversation.   It was only a couple minutes later that my life flashed before my eyes.

Looking back it isn't logical to think that it could have been a train, but in the moment those fireworks went off, that was the only explanation my mind could come up with.  The extremely loud noise echoing off the walls of the tunnel.... the bright lights...... I had no idea which direction the train was coming from or how fast, all I knew was I was about the be killed, by a train.

I totally forgot all the silly little instructions we had receieved time after time as we would go through the train tunnel.  "Jump off the tracks to the side."  "Lay as low to the ground as possible."  "Bigger people lay on top of the littler people so they aren't sucked under." etc.

I found myself screaming.  I'm not a screamer, I wasn't even sure if I was capable of screaming.  I had often wondered if I were ever to get into a dangerous situation if I would be able to scream so that others could hear me, but in this moment all I could hear was myself screaming.  I squatted to the ground in defeat and tears started streaming down my face.  I wasn't sure how much time I was going to have to endure the terror.

It felt like an eternity, although I'm sure it was merely seconds, and my mind finally became aware of my surroundings.  The train wasn't coming as fast as it should have, in fact, the noise and lights seemed to be slowing, and I could hear the sound of laughter, a bunch of laughing boys.

I was still somewhat confused when the noise died down and the flash lights we had brought started turning on, one by one.  A couple of the girls had followed the advice given and were laying on the ground on the side of the train tunnel, some were just standing to the side, and some of us were still standing there on the tacks wondering what had just happened.   

Whichever boy had come between Becca and I was grabbing my arms and trying to pull me up, apologizing through his laughter.  When they finally understood how badly we were scared, some of them realized that they had taken the joke too far.

I wasn't mad.  I'm not one to hold much of a grudge, but I'm pretty sure we turned around and headed back right then, my legs were shaking all the way.  That was the last time I have ever been in the train tunnel.